Electronic drogue reefing release system

Abstract

An electronic drogue reefing release system includes a drogue parachute having a canopy, one or more reefing lines coupled to the canopy, one or more reefing line cutters coupled to the canopy, and one or more signal lines configured to deliver an electrical signal. The reefing lines are configured to restrict expansion of the canopy while in a first reefing state. The reefing line cutters are configured to place the at least one reefing line into a second reefing state in response to receiving the electrical signal so as to expand the canopy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic drogue reefing release system comprising:
 a drogue parachute including:
 a canopy; 
 at least one reefing line coupled to the canopy, the at least one reefing line configured to restrict expansion of the canopy while in a first reefing state; 
 at least one electrically controlled reefing line cutter coupled to the canopy, the at least one electrically controlled reefing line cutter configured to place the at least one reefing line into a second reefing state in response to receiving an electrical signal so as to expand the canopy; and 
 at least one signal line in signal communication with the at least one electrically controlled reefing line cutter to deliver the electrical control signal. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller in signal communication with the at least one signal line, the controller configured to determine a reefing cutting time duration, and to output the electrical control signal in response to an expiration of the reefing cutting time duration. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 2 , wherein the reefing cutting time duration is based on at least one flight metric. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one flight metric includes one or a combination of occupant weight, airspeed, acceleration, and altitude. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 at a plurality of suspension lines coupled to the canopy; and   least one bridle including a first end coupled to the suspension lines and an opposing second end coupled to an ejection seat,   wherein the at least one signal line is coupled to the bridle and at least one of the suspension lines.   
     
     
         6 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one electrically controlled reefing line cutter includes a knife blade configured to sever the at least one reefing line in response to receiving the electrical signal to place the at least one reefing line into the second reefing state. 
     
     
         7 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one reefing line includes:
 a first reefing line disposed a first distance away from a circumferential edge of the canopy; and   a second reefing line disposed a second distance away from the circumferential edge of the canopy that is greater than the first distance.   
     
     
         8 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one electrically controlled reefing line cutter includes:
 a first electrically controlled reefing line cutter disposed adjacent to the first reefing line; and   a second electrically controlled reefing line cutter disposed adjacent to the second reefing line.   
     
     
         9 . An electronic drogue reefing release system comprising:
 a drogue parachute including:
 a canopy; 
 at least one reefing line coupled to the canopy, the at least one reefing line configured to restrict expansion of the canopy while in a first reefing state; 
 at least one reefing line cutter coupled to the canopy, the at least one reefing line cutter configured to place the at least one reefing line into a second reefing state in response to receiving an electrical signal so as to expand the canopy; and 
 at least one explosive assembly line having a first end coupled to an electrically controlled detonator and an opposing second end coupled to an energy output terminal, 
 wherein the electrically controlled detonator is configured to receive an electrical control signal and to generate an explosion force in response to the electrical control signal, and 
 wherein the energy output terminal is configured to deliver the explosion force to the at least one reefing line cutter. 
   
     
     
         10 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 9 , further comprising a controller in signal communication with the electrically controlled detonator, the controller configured to determine a reefing cutting time duration, and to output the electrical control signal in response to an expiration of the reefing cutting time duration. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 10 , wherein the reefing cutting time duration is based on at least one flight metric. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one flight metric includes one or a combination of occupant weight, airspeed, acceleration, and altitude. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a plurality of suspension lines coupled to the canopy; and   at least one bridle including a first end coupled to the suspension lines and an opposing second end coupled to an ejection seat,   wherein the at least explosive assembly line is coupled to the bridle and at least one of the suspension lines.   
     
     
         14 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one reefing line cutter includes a knife blade configured to sever the at least one reefing line in response to receiving the explosion force to place the at least one reefing line into the second reefing state. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one reefing line includes:
 a first reefing line disposed a first distance away from a circumferential edge of the canopy; and   a second reefing line disposed a second distance away from the circumferential edge of the canopy that is greater than the first distance.   
     
     
         16 . The electronic drogue reefing release system of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one electrically controlled reefing line cutter includes:
 a first reefing line cutter disposed adjacent to the first reefing line; and   a second reefing line cutter disposed adjacent to the second reefing line.   
     
     
         17 . A method to electrically control release of a drogue parachute reefing line, the method comprising:
 determining at least one flight metric;   detecting activation of a seat ejection sequence;   determining a reefing cutting time duration based on the at least one flight metric;   deploying a drogue parachute having at least one reefing line existing in a first reefing state that restricts expansion of a canopy;   determining expiration of the after deploying the drogue parachute;   generating an electrical control signal in response to the expiration of the after deploying the drogue parachute; and   initiating at least one reefing line cutter to place the at least one reefing line into a second reefing state based at least in part on the electrical control signal to expand the canopy.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein initiating the at least one reefing line cutter includes:
 delivering the electrical control signal from a controller to the at least one reefing line cutter; and   in response to receiving the electrical control signal, initiating the at least one reefing line cutter to fire a knife blade and sever the at least one reefing line.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein initiating the at least one reefing line cutter includes:
 delivering the electrical control signal from a controller to an electrically controlled detonator of at least one explosive assembly line;   in response to receiving the electrical control signal, generating an explosion force using the electrically controlled detonator; and   delivering the explosion force from an energy output terminal of the at least one explosive assembly line to the at least one reefing line cutter,   wherein the at least one reefing line cutter fires a knife blade and severs the at least one reefing line in response to the explosion force.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein initiating the at least one reefing line cutter includes:
 initiating, at a first time period, a first reefing line cutter disposed a first distance away from a circumferential edge of the canopy; and   initiating, at a second time period occurring later than the first time period, a second reefing line cutter disposed a second distance away from the circumferential edge of the canopy that is greater than the first distance.